Our school district will undergo budget cuts and reductions for the next school year, reducing or eliminating opportunities our children. The past three summers, high school and elementary students have had the opportunity to create, plant, and tend to a youth garden located at Kimball Elementary School. This program was funded by grants from the National Gardening Association, Youth as Resources, a United Way Program, and local businesses and organizations such as the Kimball Lions, Willow Creek Concrete, Theisen Building Supplies, Fairhaven Farms and the Gardening Club. Students, staff and volunteers have worked countless hours weeding, planting and watering this garden. It has provided beauty to our school as well as an outdoor learning environment for our students. Other service projects have been inspired by the garden; the KES student government built benches to sit on, and the middle school students raised money for gardening tools. This garden has been a great addition to our school in the midst of reductions and cutbacks. I am sad and angered by the recent vandalism that has occurred in the garden. A shed which was purchased with grant money has multiple holes in the walls because someone threw rocks or hit the shed with a hammer or club. Unfortunately, the holes are too numerous to be patched, and insurance will not replace the shed. Plants which were purchased from the Minnesota Horticultural Society (Minnesota Green) were dug out of the ground and stolen, along with a large geranium plant that was going to be planted in one of the City of Kimball’s planters. I feel this particular act indicates adult behavior rather than youth. It does not matter whether it was youth or adults, there is no money to replace the items and no apology for those who have spent time working in the garden. In a time where programs are being cut or eliminated, this program was growing. Thanks to the disregard and disrespect of some people, the youth garden may also be one of the programs that will go to the wayside. I want to make the public aware of this and ask that you help by not allowing this needless vandalism to happen to our schools and community. Report suspicious behavior to the police. Finally, I hope that the person or people who felt the need to destroy or steal from the garden read this letter and understand that they didn’t just put a few holes in an old shed or steal a few meaningless plants, but they jeopardized another growth opportunity for students and the community of Kimball. Kris O’Brien, Kimball Community Education Director
